How to Care for Velvet, Leather and Leather-Look Dining Chairs

New dining chairs are a real investment for a family, especially when you buy a full set for the Shabbos and Yom Tov table. You chose them carefully, you paid a fair price, and you want them to stay beautiful and steady for many years, not end up wobbly and worn like so many old sets from the wedding.

The good news is that it doesn't take much. A few minutes of care, a few good habits, and your new chairs can look great for years, even in a home where the table is busy every day and full on Shabbos and Yom Tov.

These are the simple habits we recommend to our customers. One rule before everything: always check the care label or the care notes for your specific chair first. Different fabrics and finishes can need different treatment, and those instructions come first.

Velvet chairs

Velvet is soft and rich, and it is easier to live with than many people expect.

• Everyday care: vacuum the seat now and then with a soft brush attachment to lift dust and crumbs. A soft clothes brush works too.
• Spills: blot right away with a clean, dry, white cloth. Press, don't rub; rubbing pushes the spill deeper and can crush the pile.
• Marks and pressed areas: velvet shows the direction it's brushed. If the pile looks flattened, brush it gently in one direction. Light steam held a little away from the fabric often helps, if your care label allows it.
• Avoid: soaking the fabric, strong household cleaners, and hot irons.

For a stain that doesn't come out with blotting, use a cleaner made for upholstery, test it on a hidden spot first, or ask a professional upholstery cleaner.

Leather chairs

Real leather gets more character with time, and a little care keeps it soft.

• Everyday care: wipe with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth.
• Spills: wipe up liquids right away so they don't soak in. Blot oily spills with a dry cloth; don't add water to grease.
• Conditioning: a leather conditioner every so often helps keep leather from drying out and cracking. Use a product made for furniture leather and test it on a hidden spot.
• Avoid: household sprays, alcohol, ammonia or bleach, and keeping leather right next to a radiator or heater.

Leather-look (vegan leather) chairs

Leather-look is the easiest of all to keep clean, which is why so many families with young children choose it.

• Everyday care: wipe with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, then dry with a soft cloth.
• Spills: wipe right away; most everyday spills come straight off.
• Avoid: harsh cleaners, solvents and abrasive scrubbers, which can dull or damage the surface. Leather-look doesn't need conditioner.

Bouclé chairs

Bouclé's looped weave hides small marks well. Vacuum it gently with a brush attachment, blot spills right away, and don't pull at any loose loop. Snip it carefully level with the fabric instead.

Sunlight and heat

Strong direct sun is hard on every material. Over time it can fade velvet and dry out or discolor leather and leather-look. If your dining room gets bright afternoon sun, sheer curtains or blinds during the brightest hours go a long way. Keep chairs a little away from radiators and heaters, too.

Keep them from getting wobbly

• Lift chairs instead of dragging them, and keep glides on the legs to protect both the legs and your floor.
• Don't lean back on two legs, and don't stand on the chairs to reach a high shelf. Both are the fastest way to loosen any chair. (Yes, tell the kids.)
• Check the leg bolts every few months and gently tighten any that feel loose. Don't over-tighten.
• Before a big meal, a quick wipe or vacuum of the seats is the easiest way to keep them looking new.
• Wipe the wood or metal legs with a dry or slightly damp cloth; avoid soaking wood.

When it's time to replace

Care stretches a chair's life, but not forever. It's usually time for new chairs when:

• A chair still wobbles after you tighten the bolts, or a joint has cracked.
• The seat foam has gone flat and you can feel the frame underneath.
• The fabric is torn, peeling or stained beyond cleaning.
• You're short on chairs every Yom Tov and borrowing folding chairs from a neighbor.

And when that day comes, it doesn't have to cost what the big stores charge. We built Prime Seating as a small Brooklyn showroom without the big overhead, so families can get the mid-to-high-end look and quality they want at a fair price.

Have a question about caring for your chairs, or ready to replace the old ones? Text us at 929-556-6778, browse the collection at primeseatingny.com/shop, or come feel the fabrics in person at our showroom, 95 Stockton St #1, Brooklyn (Sun–Thu, 8–10 PM; walk-ins welcome, but call or text first in case the hours change).